Zara's New Life: Prime Edition
by Myra The Fox
Summary: Zara (aka StarKnight) walked through the portal, excited and ready to finally go home after an eventful few months with the Autobots. What she didn't expect was to end up in yet another dimension that needs her help. But can she help the Autobots of this dimension after everything she has already been through? You'll have to read to find out. Read & Review please!
1. Not quite home yet

**Hey everyone, Myra here.**

 **This new story is actually a side story slash eventual epilogue of Zara's New Life, or ZNL for short.**  
 **this story takes place in the Transformers Prime universe and this first chapter is set after Chapter 9: Goodbye in ZNL and before episode 7:Scrapheap of Transformers Prime. so i hope you like it.**

 ** _"..." is Bee talking_**

 **'...' is thoughts  
**

"..." normal speech.

 _is flashback/ what happened previously._

* * *

Chapter One: Not home yet.

 _Previously on ZNL..._

 _After the song we all went to the wreck room and started chatting, every Autobot want to spend my last moments here with me. It was the best time I had with these guys. Soon we all headed back to the hanger._

 _Paloona's eyes flashed brighter and a white portal appeared._

 _"Well, I guess this goodbye." I said looking at everyone._

 _"We have enjoyed having you here." Said Elita leaning against Optimus._

 _"As I have enjoyed being here."_

 _Mikaela walked up to me and gave me a hug. "Don't forget to tell your parents." She said._

 _"I won't."_

 _I looked to Optimus, he knelt down. "We will always remember you StarKnight." He said._

 _"As I will always remember you…" I looked to the others. "All of you."_

 _"Till we meet again." Optimus said as he stood up._

 _"Till we meet again." I nodded. I walked towards the portal. "Bye everyone." I waved as I walked through the portal._

 _Paloona looked to everyone. "Don't worry, you will see her again. Her time here isn't over. She is just needed back in her world." And with that said Paloona walked through the portal and it disappeared after her._

 **Star's p.o.v.  
**  
Just instead of walking out onto a normal street road or my front yard, I step out into a cave with strange blue crystals. The ground shakes slightly with the familiar sound of large metal footfalls. Then the whirling sound of what could only be laser guns charging up filled the air. What I saw after turning to the sound made me freeze. "Scrap." I muttered under my breath.

For right there, aiming their guns at me were none other than the con's. Though these ones look all the same and yet different to the ones I have come to know. I quickly changed into my dragon form and against Ratchets wishes, with a mighty flap of my wings i took to the air and was racing out of there with the cons right on my tail, firing as they chased me.

 **Third person p.o.v.  
**  
Optimus, BumbleBee, and BulkHead were hiding behind some trees on the outskirts of a forest, a few meters away from an energon mine they had found. They were about to go in but flashes and the distinct sound of laser cannons being fired could be seen and heard from within. It wasn't long before something came flying out only to be hit by a laser and shot into the ground, the thing roaring in pain as it was hit by the laser. As the creature got to it's feet, revealing to be some sort of organic reptile, the cons emerge from the mine and surround it. Just as they fired, the reptile jumped up into the air, dodging the blasts, and fired a beam of energy at them, spinning in a circle to get all of them.

All three stared stunned as the reptile landed and stood on shaky paws. But it was BumbleBee that saw something was off.

 _ **"Optimus, look!"**_ BumbleBee whispered, pointing to the creatures back which was covered in blood. _ **"It's wounded."**_

"Those damn cons!" BulkHead whispered angrily, accidentally stepping on a twig. Well more like a log.

 **Star's p.o.v.  
**  
I was standing there panting hard and trying to stay conscious as my eyes sight kept going in and out of focused **'damn those lasers hurt! And since when did the con's have lasers?'** when I heard the distinct sound of wood splintering. I whirled around to face the forest behind me.

"Who's there?!" I all but roared. 

**Third person p.o.v.  
**  
Optimus, BulkHead and BumbleBee were quite surprised when the heard the reptile talk. After a moments pause they emerged from the forest with there hands up in a peace gesture.

 **Star's p.o.v.  
**  
I growled in warning and took a step back as three more cybertronians emerged from the forest. I couldn't make out who they were considering my eye sight keeps going fuzzy, but their bright colours and aura seemed oddly familiar.

"We mean no harm, young one."

I took a step back in shock. No, it couldn't be! It couldn't be them. But if it was, the way he spoke, could I be in an alternative universe? I can't deal with this right now. The pain running throughout my body was too great and before I could saying thing more, my sight went black.

 **Third person p.o.v.  
**  
The look of surprised shock on the reptiles face didn't last long as it's emerald eyes rolled to the back of it's head and it collapsed. Bee quickly walked over to it and gently picked it up, giving a sigh of relief when he noticed it was still breathing, and walked back to the Prime. _"_ _ **What should we do?"**_ he asked.

"Perhaps Agent Fowler will know of someone who could help it." suggested BulkHead.

"I do not believe Agent Fowler would be all that please with us if we were to bring it back with us" Said Optimus.

" _ **It's worth a try, though, right? We can't just leave it here to die!"**_ Replied Bee.

"Or worse; for the 'cons to find. Primus know what they would do with it once they found out what it could do." Add Bulk.

Optimus thought for a moment before giving a single nod of agreement. "Very well. We shall bring it back to base and see if Agent Fowler can help it." Optimus put two fingers to the side of his helm, activation his comm-link. "Ratchet, activate the ground-bridge."

Within moments the green vortex appeared and the trio of robots walked through with the injured replied safely in BumbleBee's protective servos.

 **Star's P.o.v.  
**  
When I came to, all was silent. When I opened my eyes and looked around I found that I was obliviously in a medical bay but not the one I have somewhat come to know. Next thing I noticed was that my back still hurts like pit from being shot at. I moved around a bit to get more comfortable and ease the pain in back but that's when something else makes it's presence known. Not only was there a collar was around my neck that was chained to a loop that was bolted to the surface I was on, but there was a thick metal band around my snout. A MUZZLE!? Of all the indignities to be thrown upon me, I have I be muzzled like some savage dog!...well maybe not a dog, but in the eyes of whoever I'm currently 'staying' with probably thinks I am 'wild'. But how am I going to communicate with them if I can't talk?

"Cool! Your awake!" The teen girl that suddenly pops into my line of sight exclaims, startling me slightly. Though there was something familiar about her, especially her hair style. Like how it was black with bright pink highlights and how she has it done up in two pony tails. She suddenly turns her head away and shouts, "Hey guys, the dragoness is awake!" before turning back and grinning, how she knew I was a girl I don't have a clue.

Then I heard, and slightly felt, something huge and metal making it's way over; many huge somethings. But the first around the corner were two human boys, one teen and one pre-teen. Both of which were familiar as well. The pre-teen had square glasses and brown spiky hair whereas the other teen, no doubt the oldest, had black hair and a long sleeve white shirt under a grey t-shirt.

"Miko, for the last time, we don't know what gender it is." said the raven haired teen. Miko... that nave sounds familiar.

"Jack's right. For all we know it's colour could have nothing to do with it's gender." said the pre-teen. Again another familiar name...

I let a low growl escape my throat at being called 'it' all the time. Of course that's when the 'huge somethings' decide to come into the room.

"Jack, Miko, Raff, stand back from it before it decides to try and do something." said a familiar voice.

All we organics look to where the voice had come from, the three kids doing as they were told and me ceasing my growling, and there entering the room were five robots, three out of five with familiar but slightly different auras. That's when it hit's me; I'm in the Transformers Prime universe! But I didn't let my surprise last long as I went back to growling just this time at Ratchet, for only he would say something like. Ok Optimus might have said that too but he would have worded it differently.

"Well _she,_ " Miko stressed the word she and waited a moment for a response from me, obviously thinking I would growl in disapproval or something if she had gotten it wrong and continued when I didn't, large grin on her face. "obviously doesn't like being called an 'it'."

"Miko, there is no possible way it," I interrupted Jack by growling loudly at him. His eyes widened. "Y...You can understand us." he said in surprised awe. I rolled my eyes slightly but nodded to him nonetheless.

"Can you talk too, like how Bee claims?" asked Raff. I smiled and nodded in reply.

Optimus stepped forwards. "If we were to remove the muzzle, do I have your word that you will not try anything towards my men and the humans that would cause harm?" he asked.

Everyone must have thought I was just going to nod, but I stood up and looked Prime in the optic for a few moments before crouching low, wings tucked against my sides, right front paw extended out in front of me with the left tucked under me, and lowered my head, bowing to the Prime. Going by the three sharp gasps from the kids, they were not expecting me to bow.

"Dude!" Miko exclaimed. "She's bowing to you!"

"Bowing? Why would she bow to the Prime?" asked Arcee.

"I'm guessing you have her word." suggested Jack.

Oh, it was more than just that. I was pledging my loyalty to him for however long my stay may be and should I ever return. For my loyalty shall always remain to the Autobot cause no matter the universe.

"Rise youngling," Optimus's said bringing me out of my musing and I did as he said.

He nodded to Ratchet who looked sceptical before pressing something on his arm and the muzzle came free, falling down to the floor with a clang. "Now I know how a dog feels. That is very uncomfortable." I muttered flexing my jaw. The shocked looks I got from everyone minus Optimus, BumbleBee and Bulkhead made me chuckle."What? I did just agreed that I could talk, didn't I?"

 _ **"See! We told you she could talk!"**_ Bee said, directing the comment to Arcee who just rolled her optics, but it came out sounding like beeps and whirls. Which furthered my conclusion on which universe this was. And also I could understand what he had just said. **'Damn it Allspark, what are you doing to me?'**

"What is your name, young one?" asked Optimus.

I beamed up at the Prime, smiling proudly. "My name is StarKnight."


	2. Into the scrap heap

**Hey everyone, here's the next chapter. just so you know, this takes place during episode 7: Scrap Heap of transformers prime. Enjoy.**

 **"..." Bumblebee talking**

 _ **'...' thoughts**_

"..." normal speech.

* * *

Chapter two: Into the scrapheap.

Bulkhead and bumble bee are wondering through the Arctic, their computer back at base having picked something up.

" **Are we there yet?"** Bumblebee asked through beeps and whirls when they paused.

"No, we're not there yet." Bulkhead replied. "But It should just be over this ridge, Bumblebee."

The two skid down the ridge and glanced around.

"I don't get it, These readings are off the meter!" Exclaimed Bulkhead when he looked to his scanner.

" **Bulkhead, take a look at this!"** Bumblebee motioned for the wrecker to follow with his servo and the two walked over to a solid but clear patch of ice. Frozen inside the ice was a huge metal pod.

Once back at base with their Arctic find, Ratchet had the two go through the standard defrosting procedure.

"I told you doc, we're fine." Complained Bulk as he pulled one of the two cables off his chest and standing up, the other falling of as he did so.

"The only way to be certain you fine, Bulkhead, is to endure standard defrosting procedure." Ratchet said, pushing the wrecker back down. "You know prolonged exposure to subzero temperatures can cause permanent system damage."

"Ratchet," Ratchet turn to Optimus and Arcee who had made their way over. "Have you learned any more of our Arctic find?" Prime asked.

"Not yet," the medic replied as he walked over to a terminal which displayed footage of the pod in a separated room. "The pod can't be opened while it's frozen solid."

In the room where the pod is being held, drops of water drip off it into the accumulating puddles on the floor as it continues to defrost. A terrible screeching and scratching noise comes from within the pod. Whatever is inside starts banging on a part of the pod which isn't frozen creating a crack which got bigger and bigger till finally a metal claw breaks through.

Star's head shot up from her curled up position, having been sleeping, ears perked as she frowns in the direction of the pod. The bots still didn't quite trust her, so she was still chained. They noticed her sudden movement.

"Is everything alright, StarKnight?" asked Optimus.

Star took a moment to reply, not looking to the Prime. "Yeah," she said before laying her head back down. "Everything's fine." and with that she went back to sleep.

Some time later Ratchet went over to the ground-bridge controls and activated the bridge as Optimus and Arcee walked over and stood in front of it.

"Arcee and I will search for clues that might explain the origin of our Arctic find." said Optimus.

"Only till your sensors sound," Ratchet said as he filled with a device in his servo. "Remember, once your core temperatures drop into the blue zone, system failure aren't likely, they're imminent." The doc bot told them as he pointed the device at the Prime and his SIC, their insignias flashing blue.

Just then Bulk and Bee drove in and stopped at the doc bots peds, opening their doors to allow Miko, Raff and Jack out, who had caught a lift with Raff.

"Miss us doc bot?" asked Miko as she got out.

Ratchet groaned. "Shouldn't they be in school?" he asked no one in particular.

"On a Saturday? We have the whole weekend off to spend with you." Miko Replied as the three made their way over to the human area, Jack stopping to have a quick chat with Arcee.

"Wasn't expecting the car-pull. What gives Acree?" he asked.

"Tag-team Jack. It's my turn for exploration duty." she replied

"Oh, to bad. It's a beautiful day for a ride." He replied while turning away slightly with his arms over his chest, trying to make the Autobot SIC feel bad. "Hate for you to feel guilty for leaving me in doors."

"Arctic explanation duty." She countered.

"In doors where it's warm." Jack replied pointing to the human area, quickly changing his tune.

"The Arctic?" Raff asked walking up to the two. "I've always wanted to see snow."

"I would invite you to join, Raffael. But the conditions are much to extreme, even for we Autobots." said the Prime.

"I...understand." Raff replied a bit disappointed.

The two turned and started to head into the portal but the Paused and turned back to Raff. "But I will bring you back a snowball."

"That'll be awesome." Raff replied, liking the compromise.

So Optimus and Arcee walked through the ground-bridge as Raff made his way over to the human area.

"Transport complete." Ratchet stated once the two bots had gone through and turned back to the controls only for them to explode and spark in his face. "By the allspark.!"

"So what do you guys think we should do for today?" Miko asked as the three walked over to the couch.

 **"Oh, I know! Video game tournament!"** suggested Bee as he made a gesture with his servos.

"Video Game tournament! last one standing wins!" Raff translated and took a seat.

"Bulkhead, BumbleBee, over here, now!" Called Ratched.

Bumblebee sighed and gave an appologetic look to his charge and left with Bulkhead to see what the doc bot wanted. Raff wave goodbye and reached for a controller but Miko bet him to it and offered the other to Jack.

"Prepare to be destroyed."

"Yeah, not really my thing, Miko" Jack replied, not taking the controller.

"Oh, scared of loosing to a girl?" she asked as she practically shoved the controller in his face.

Jack sighed. "Bring it." he said snatching the controller from her hand.

"No mercy." she replied as they started the game, not noticing the the hurt and disappointment on Raff's face, but Jack did.

"Hey Raff, do you want to take on Miko for me?" he asked offering the controller.

Raff sighed. "Na, I have stuff to do." he replied getting off the couch and walking away.

"Ooo yeah!" Miko exclaimed as the two got back to the game.

"You can't boss us around just because the boss is out!" said Bulk as he and Bee stopped beside the medic.

"I need some heavy lifting, the ground-bridge is down." Explained Ratchet as he tried the controls once more only to get sparks.

 **"Are Optimus and Arcee ok? Did they make it through?"** Bee asked with worry.

"Optimus and Arcee made it through just fine. It's getting them back that worries me. Now remove those panels, chop chop." he said pointing to the Autobot insignia on the floor.

Raff paused once he had reached the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the human area and looked to the med bay where their new _organic_ friend was currently residing. It didn't take him long to decide and walked over to the med bay and peaked in, seeing the scared, eared, purple dragoness laying down with with her head propped up in a thinking pose, obviously deep in thought.

"Of all the creatures to have ears, I wouldn't have thought a dragon would have them." Raff muttered to himself, focusing on said ears.

"I know right, really weird." Raff jumped a bit and looked to the dragons face to see that she was looking at him from the corners of her eyes and smiling. She turned her he to him fully. "You can come in Raff, I'm not going to bite."

Raff walked over to the purple dragoness a bit cautiously still not 100% certain it wont hurt him. He could see the pain in her eyes from his distrust in her but he also could see understanding in them as well as she kept smiling and not saying a word about his wariness of her.

"So what's going on out there?"Star asked once he was standing in front her "I heard a commotion. I would check it out myself but..." she said and pulled against the chain a bit.

Raff smiled sympathetically. "Something is wrong with the ground-bridge. BulkHead and BumbleBee are helping Ratchet fix it."

"What about Optimus and Arcee? I think I heard them say something about exploration duty."

"Yeah, Arctic exploration duty. They got through ok though." Raff explained.

While it didn't look it, Star froze up; pun not intended. _**'scrap! Am I seriously here this early into the series!'**_

"Optimus said he would bring me back a snowball as well." Raff continued.

"That was very kind of the Prime." Star replied.

"Yeah, it was. Anyway, I'm off to explore the base." he said as he turned and was about to walk out.

"Raff wait!" Star called, getting the boy to pause and look to her. She bit her lip, uncertain. "Just... be careful alright? Some things may not be what they seem."

"Alright..." Raff replied, a little confused, but went on his way nonetheless.

"Temperature subzero and dropping," Raff said to himself as he wondered the hall of the base, pretending to be in the Arctic and fighting through a blizzard. "Gotta...get back...to base." he stopped pretending when he heard something drop, only to see a bolt on the floor when he looked around. He picked it up then heard a strange tinkling sound, placing the bolt in his back pocket. He looks above him but looks back in front of him he sees nothing, only to see something move some distance ahead.

"Hello?" he turns when something sounds behind him only to see nothing. Raff begins to panic and backs up but he trips on something. He looks up to see a strange metal creature that is mostly head and optics. It startles him at first making him back up a bit, before he chuckles nervously when he realises it was smaller than him. "Where did you come from?" The creature just walks closer to him as he stood up."The Autobots never said anything about pets." he reached into his back pocket and pulled out the bolt. "You want to play fetch?" he asked holding the bolt where the creature could see it, making the creature jump up and down and run around in a circle. Raff throws the bolt and the strange creature runs after it. "Good boy! Go get it!" he encouraged but when he saw it was eating the bolt he became concerned. "No! Do eat that! You're going to choke!" The creature turned and ran back to him, perfectly fine. "Or not." The creature nuzzled his leg and gave of a metallic purring like sound and Raff couldn't help but smile at his new found friend as he and the creature made their way back to the main Room. Raff never noticing the wires that had been chewed through and hung loose from a power box, sparking dangerously.

"Ah, come on, come on, you want some?" Jack said as he was close to winning his and Miko's race on the video game, Miko doing her best to win, but having a hard time believing her raven haired friend was winning. "In your face!" He exclaimed when his car crossed the line first, throwing the controller onto the couch and doing a little victory dance, Miko not please at all.

Only for the power to fail for a split second. "Whoa, what the?" Jack exclaimed. "Great. Power failure." he dead-panned.

"Awe, it wiped out our game." Miko said in mock sadness as she got up and threw the controller onto the couch and walked away.

"But I was winning!" Jack said in dismay as he followed.

"Bummer." Miko replied not really caring.

"We most definitely have a problem." Ratchet said as he pulled out a singed circuit board that had holes. "But what could have caused this?" he asked no one in particular as Miko and Jack walked over and another power failure happened.

"Or that?" Added Bulkhead.

Star gulped nervously when the second power failure happened and glance around. _**'That was the second one, meaning...'**_ She got up and walked over the entrance of the med bay as much as the chain would allow.

"Might be the main grid," Ratchet supplied with narrowed optics. "Hopefully it isn't a substation malfunction." he said as he looked back to the circuit board in his servo.

"Hey guys! Look what I found!" came Raff's call.

Star tensed, she knew how this would play out. She had watched the seasons a few times. She could see everyone from where she stood, even the creature that slept soundly in Raffs arms. But in just a few moments that metal menace would wake and go after Bee.

"We're busy, Aaahhh!" Ratchet said in annoyance but it soon turned to a cry of fear once he saw what was in Raff's arms causing him and the other bots to back up, Bee and Bulk pointing their weapons at it.

"Hey hey! What's with you guys?" Miko asked as she and Jack stood protectively in front of Raff.

"Scraplet, SCRAPLET!" Bulkhead exclaimed.

"What's a Scraplet?" asked Raff.

 _ **'The menace in your arms!'**_ Star thought as she bared her fangs, not that they could see.

"The most dangerous vermin to crawl on the face of Cybertron." Ratchet so helpfully explained.

Miko and Jack relaxed. "This?" Jack gestured to the thing in Raff's arms. "Are you kidding me?"

"You're giant robots!" Miko exclaimed. "Scrappy here is tiny."

"You have no idea how much damage that tiny thing can do!" Exclaimed BulkHead, still panicking.

"Awe, he wouldn't hurt anything." Raff said, not believing them.

At that moment the Scraplet woke and saw the bots. It revealed it's several rows of sharp rotating teeth and went for them in feeding frenzy mode, easily dodging the blasts that the bots shot at it. It made it to Bee, jumping onto him and start munching it's way up his leg, causing the scout to fall over.

Seeing this caused the three kids to looked horrified at it.

Bee grabbed the Scraplet once it was on his knees spike, intending to throw it away but it just started munching away at his hand and forearm. But before it could do any more damage, something fast and sharp hit it, doing severer damage to it and knocking it off and onto the floor where Raff beat the pit out of it with a crowbar, off-lining it. But before he could continue to hit it Jack caught the weapon and took it off him.

"Easy there killer."

"Whoa, I did not see that coming." said Miko.

Raff took a few relaxing breath before he remembered that Bee was hurt and ran over to him. "I'm sorry BumbleBee."

 **"It's alright Raff, it wasn't your fault."** Bee reassured.

"Is he going to be ok?" Raff asked Ratchet

"Only a mech wound. He'll live."

"Now do you believe me? All Scraplets do is dismantle machinery and eat anything metal. Especially living metal." Stated Bulkhead.

"Well, bug squashed, game over...right?" asked Jack.

"No! When it comes to Scraplets, there's never just one. And I fear I know how they got in here."

While the others were talking, Bee spotted the thing that had knocked the Scraplet off him and picked it up. **"Ice?"** he questioned causing the others to look at him before they all looked to Star.

Star was standing at the maximum allowance of her chain, muscles tense, head lowered to shoulder hight, jaw slightly open as she breathed heavily with wisps of mist coming out of the corners of her mouth with every exhale, pupils nothing but slit, ears folded back and clearly standing in a fighting stance.

"Star?" asked Jack cautiously.

Star closed her eyes and took a deep breath, held it for a moment before releasing it in a sigh, her posture relaxing and her pupils going back to normal. The others relaxed as well once they saw her do so.

"Did you do this?" asked Ratchet gesturing to the tiny, in their optics, ice shard in Bee's servo.

Star nodded. "It was the only long range projectile that wouldn't do damage to it's surroundings," she explained.

"You knew," everyone looked to Raff as he stepped forwards. "You knew that something was up," the others looked to Star, narrowing their eyes/optics at her as the boy continued. "You tried to warn me but..." he trailed off looking to the ground in shame and sadness.

StarKnight sighed. "I can... sense certain events that are to come. But I cannot deduce when it will happen, where it will happen or what will happen." She looked to the floor embarrassedly "And depending on where it's good or a bad event, it can have an effect on my mood." she looked back to them. "Say if it was a bad, I'd be anxious to the point I'd be jumping out of my scale cover skin at any little noise. But if were to a good one I'd be happy to the point I'd feel like I'm on cloud nine." _**'Not a true lie but that's not how I knew either. But if they don't believe this then there's no way that their going to believe me when I have to tell them the real story.'**_

There was a slight pause. "Yeah, and Megatron is my uncle." BulkHead replied sarcastically with a frown.

Star's eyes widened and her ears lowered in hurt. "You don't believe me?" she asked shocked.

"Why should we?" asked Ratchet ah he walked past and into the halls heading for the pod that they found.

"Even Megatron's come up with more believable lies than that." Added Bulk as he followed.

"Next thing we know you'll be saying you can turn into a human." Miko said as she followed the two bots, Jack walking beside her but saying a word.

Raff and Bumblebee paused and looked to Star, easily seeing the hurt look in her eyes and posture as she lowered her head in defeat and walked slowly back into the med bay. The two shared a look before walking into the med bay.

"Star?" Raff called out.

StarKnight paused in step, back still turned to them with her wings tucked into her sides and head still lowered.

 **"If it helps any, we believe you"** Bee said as in knelt down.

"You do?" She asked, looking over her shoulder to them. Seeing their shock she chuckled lightly. "I'll explain later, promise."

 **"Of course we do."** Bee continued. **"You tried to warn Raff. That makes you good in my books."**

"Yeah, and if I had heeded your warning then maybe Bee wouldn't have gotten hurt." Raff said sadly. Which earned a gentle but reassuring nudge from Bee with his finger.

Star gave a small smile as she walked over, noticing that Raff no long stood with caution when in her presence. She walked right up to him and nuzzled him under the chin, surprising both boys.  
"I only warned you to be careful." She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "Some things are meant to happen and cannot be changed no matter how hard you try."

 **"That sounded like something Optimus would say."** Bumblebee commented.

Star blinked in surprise. "It did?"

Raff nodded. "Very prime like."

"BUMBLEBEE!" called Ratchet.

"You had better go." Star gave one last nuzzle to Raff before walking up to the scout and nuzzling his servo. "Be careful you two, and watch each other's back."

"We will" replied Raff.

Bumblebee picked up his young charge and ran to catch up with the others. They were all now gathered in the room where the pod was kept, Ratchet's servo changed into a torch.

"It's a trap. Scraplet trap." Ratchet confirmed.

"Err, an empty Scraplet trap." Bulkhead added with worry.

"Most likely ejected into space eons ago, only to wide up in the Arctic where the temperatures kept them in stasis" Ratchet theorised.

"Until we brought the thaw." Added Jack.

"Now they're wide awake and ready to brunch." Commented Miko.

"So...how many are we talking about?" Asked Raff a little nervously.

"Thousands." Ratchet replied changing his torch back to his servo. "The power malfunction and ground-bridge damage are sure signs that their infestation is well on the way."

Meanwhile in the Arctic Optimus is climbing down a cliff when his Autobot insignia flashes blue. He puts two fingers to the side of his helm. "Arcee what's your status?" He asked through the comm-link.

Just as Arcee receives the call her insignia flashes blue as well. She put two fingers to the side of her helm to reply. "My sensor's going off. Guess we should call for pick-up before thing get chilly."

Optimus redirects his call to the base. "Optimus to base. Core temperature readings have reached the blue zone, prepare to activate the ground-bridge." but all the Prime got was static, which really concerned him.

Back at base Ratchet was trying to contact Optimus and Arcee at the main control console. "Ratchet to Optimus, do you read me? We have a situation." but the screens fuzzed out with nothing showing. "The Scraplets have gotten into the comm-link system." he said in frustration and worry and turned to the others. "If we don't eradicate the creatures intimately then they will reduce the entire base to a scrapheap."

"I sau we bug out of here and let them keep it." Exclaimed Bulkhead.

 **"Yeah, I'm with Bulk on this one."** Agreed Bee.

"Evacuation is not an option. If we don't get the ground-bridge back online STAT, Opimus and Arcee will perish." replied Ratchet.

Star gave off a soft whimper from her spot at the maximum allowance of her chain, watching the exchange.

"They will?" asked Jack shocked. The three humans were up on a platform out of the way of the bots ped.

Miko marched up to Bulkhead. "Bulkhead, you never run!"

"Miko, you haven't seen a swarm of these things devour a bot, I have." Bulk said grimly. "They pick you apart from the inside out. Going for the small jucy bits first, fuse by fuse, circuit by circuit, till there's nothing left, and I mean nothing. Not even your optics." he finished in defeat.

Miko looked to the two other behind her for their support.

"You have to let us help." Jack said stepping forwards.

"Yeah, we're not made of metal." Added Raff.

"Yeah, the Scraplets can't hurt us." Miko added her two-cents.

"Typically I find your fleshiness to be your least engaging quality." Ratchet stated. "But it would appeare to provide an advantage under these extremes."

"Ok, good. So we pair off; one bot, one human. I'll watch your back while you repair the ground-bridge." Said Jack, taking the lead.

"And we go on a bug hunt." Miko said, referring to her, Raff, Bluk and Bee. Wrecker and scout shuddered at the thought of going and _looking_ for the retched vermin.

"You got to let me help, please." everyone looked to Star. "I'm not made of metal. I can help!" she tried to convince them.

"No. Until Optimus says so, your to say where you are. End of discussion." Stated Ratchet.

With that Raff, Bee, Bulk and Miko went their separate ways while Jack stayed behind to guard Ratchet's back while he worked, just like he said he would. Star smiled at that. _**' I hadn't noticed before when I was watching the seasons back home, but I see it now. Even this early into the season Jack is naturally taking the lead when Optimus isn't about and there is a crisis at hand. And the others are naturally following his lead without question. If he were a cybertronian...'**_ her thought trailed off a she walked further back into the med bay and comfortable on the floor once more. _**' I have no doubt that he would be the next prime.'**_

Meanwhile Optimus and Arcee continue to wonder through the Arctic, trying to get a hold of their friends. "Optimus to base. Do you read?" the Prime tried once more, only getting static, but just then Arcee collapses.

"Are you sure a nice long drive wouldn't help?" Arcee asks as Optimus helps her up. "I hear Miami is beautiful this time of year."

"The nearest temperate climate is too distant Arcee. Attempting to reach it would expend to much energy and hasten the freezing proses. Until Ratchet sends for us, and he will, our best option would be to seek shelter and insulate ourselves." Optimus explained.

Back at base Bulkhead and Miko are wondering down one of the many halls, Bulkhead's servo turned into his cannon while his other servo held a torch, with Miko walking in front of him wielding her own tool for a weapon.

"I get to be your bodyguard for once. How cool is that?" said Miko.

"Raff, I'm the first one here, right?" Bulk asked through the comm-link, ignoring Miko. Just then the lights went out, causing him to scream a second before they came back on.

Miko turned to him. "Did you just scream like a little girl?"

"No...Maybe...could we talk about this later?" replied the wrecker.

Miko just shrugged and they continued on their way. Bulkhead though he heard the distinct tinkling of a Scraplet running about above him and pointed his torch and cannon up.

"Take her easy Bulkhead." said Miko "Just stay focused. Everythings going to be-" miko was cut off as Bulkhead started firing after hearing the tinkling noise the Scraplets make. He fired up making a bunch of cable fall on top of him, which resulted in him screaming again. Miko turned ready to bash away at the vermin only to find there was none. She relaxed. "Ok, wish I hadn't seen that." she said to herself before focusing on her guardian. "BULKHEAD, you're fine. It's just a bunch of cable."

Bulkhead stopped what he was doing and took an actual look at what was causing him to panic. "huh? Right. Cables." he said pulling on one and making it come loose. Which resulted in a whole bunch of Scraplets to fall on top of him a second later.

Bee and Raff were scouting through the halls of a different section of the base, Raff with his trusty crowbar in hand and Bee's blasters at the ready, and coming across a damaged air vent grate.

"Don't these things ever stop eating?" asked Raff.

The two went to investigate, Bumblebee nudging Raff to the side so he could pull the grate off but there was nothing in side. They turned when they heard something from behind only to see the Scaplets coming up from a nearby drain, Bumblebee shooting at them as they drew near.

Jack paced back and forth behind Ratchet as he watched the doc bot's back, nervous and anxious as nothing had happened yet.

"How's it going over there?" he asked.

"I have repaired the damaged conductors and rerouted the central conduits but the ground-bridge still wont receive power!" Ratchet explained, slamming his fist on the floor.

Just then Jack heard the tinkling noise the Scraplets make and looked around, his heart racing. Then a low but loud growling joined the sound. He looked over to Star to see that her muscles were tense and that she was glaring at something.

"Heads up." Star commented.

Jack looked up and saw a large bunch of Scaplets on the wall, his eyes widening at the sight. All at once the vermin looked down to the floor, their inferred sight easily picking up Ratchet. Opening their jaws and relieving their teeth they jumped off they wall and took flight, eager to feed.

"They can Fly! You never said they could fly!" Jack exclaimed.

Most of the vermin went after Ratchet while some went to the med bay, wanting an entrée. A few landed near or on Star, going after the chain and collar, the ones eating her collar not caring that when their teeth broke through her protective scales and causing deep wounds. Star roared in pain and shook the vermin free before freezing every single one of them in sight with her ice breath. By the time she was done, there was nothing left of her collar and chain.

Ratchet fell over as the swarm of Scraplets flew over and latched onto him, trying to swipe them off. "Ratchet!" Jack exclaimed as he ran over and started whacking the Scraplets off with a metal pipe. Ratchet tried to get up but only fell back down. "Jack!" the doc called getting the boy's attention. "The fire extinguisher!" he pointed. Jack waisted no time, grabbing said device and started spraying the vermin on Ratchet with it's contents just as Star flew over and did her best to freeze the ones that were still in the air, the Scraplets falling to the floor dead as a result.

Just then Miko, Raff, Bulkhead and Bumblebee came in clutching at their wounds.

"Ratchet, get the patch kit! We're leaking ener- whoa!" Bulkhead exclaimed when he saw the huge swarm flying around in the air, Star doing her best to freeze them. Just then the vermin noticed the new arrivals and went after them. Bee started blasting them as Bulkhead tried to smash them with his wrecking ball "Eat this!" the wrecker taunted as he brought it down on a few, only to realise some were eating his other hand. Jack, Miko and Raff raced to help their friends but it seemed that they were overwhelmed.

Optimus and Arcee had finally found shelter under a small overhang a while back and had sort refuge there. Optimus looked to his SIC and noticed that her optics were closed. "Arcee, wake up!" he ordered.

She blinked her optics open. "Just resting my eyes." Not the best of excuses in a situation like this, she knew.

"The longer we remain alert, the longer we remain alive." The Prime explained.

"What do you suggest?" she asked, shivering from the extreme cold. "Wait...how about a game? Lets play _'Who screwed thing up back at base'_ "

"Our predicament could be the result of a simple malfunction." Optimus theorised, going along with Arcee's idea.

"Caused by Bulkhead." Arcee added. "Lets see, no comm-link, maybe even no power. The big lug probably trip over a cord. He'd never been to graceful. Remember when we first arrived on earth and Bulkhead walked into those power lines," She chuckled at the memory. "who knew he could dance like that."

"Bulkhead may be too large for this world, but his inner strength is without bounds. One should not be measured by size alone."

Jack and Star were going around making sure that the Scraplets that had fallen pray to their fire extinguisher and ice breath were still frozen while Raff and Miko went about smashing them, Star also helping in that department by using her tail and slamming the blade on the end down on top of them, while the bots rested and got their strength back. "did we get them all?" asked Jack only to answered by an ominous sound coming from further in the base.

"Hardly. These were just scouts." Replied Ratchet.

 **"We're dead."** Bumblebee whined. Star walked over and nuzzle the side of his arm, giving off a purr of reassurance which seemed to calm the young bot. The others were stunned for a moment before pushing aside for now.

"So the rest of them know we're in here?" asked Bulkhead.

"And if we allow ourselves to become their next meal, Optimus and Arcee will never make it home. We must get the ground-bridge operational."

"Then we can use it to send the Scraplets anywhere on Earth." Suggested Raff.

"Why not back to the Arctic? We already know they don't do cold." Added Jack.

"Sweet! One stop shopping!" said Miko.

"Given the body mas of the Scraplets, subzero temperatures should freeze them on contact. So think, Ratchet, think. If the ground-bridge is still down, there must be a breach in the energon fuel line!" he Exclaimed, finally figuring out what could be causing the problem.

Bumblebee tried to get up but only fell back down.

"If we weren't breaching one of us could get back over there and fix it." said Bulk.

"Where do we find it?" asked Jack.

"And how do we fix it?" asked Raff.

Ratchet told them where the fuel line was and how to fix it. After gathering the things needed they headed out to find it. But as they were just about to leave the main room Raff paused and looked to Star who had not moved from Bee's side. "You coming?" he asked.

Star shook her head. "Someone has to stay and protect the bots."

Raff nodded and ran off to catch up with his friends. They raced through the halls till the came came across the Scraplets. From there they watched where they stepped.

"Remember, we're ok, we're not metal." Jack reassured. And soon he spotted the breach. "There's the breach." they quickly made their way over "We have to work fast." and they got to work.

"So if...when we get the ground-bridge open, do we sent the creepy crawlies out or bring our bots in?" asked Bulkhead.

"Optimus and Arcee would be fresh meat. If we bring them in first the Scraplets would have no reason to leave. We'll need bait."

"Where are we going to get bait? The Scraplets already helped themselves to everything in here."

Star's pause in movement, having been pacing since the three kids left, caused all three bots to look to her. Her legs were shaking ever so slightly and she what breathing heavily too.

 **"Star?"** Bee asked in concern.

"I'm fine Bee." star replied.

Bulk and Ratchet didn't think much of Star's reply because the concern in Bee's voice was easy to pick up. But it was then that they noticed the still slightly bleeding wound on Star's neck.

"No you're not!" exclaimed Ratchet. "How did you even get a wound like that?" he asked, his doctor instincts taking over along with him mentally kicking himself for not noticing earlier.

"Heh, the little pests wanted to have an entree before they made you their main meal." Star replied, making eye contact for a brief moment.

"By eating your collar." Bulkhead concluded.

Meanwhile Ratchet was mentally cursing himself for not knowing anything about organics and how to treat them. Star saw the look in his optics and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about me Ratchet. I'm going to be fine. I admit that I am weakened right now, but that's only because most of my energy is going towards my healing factor which is currently healing my wound."

"Healing factor?" the doc asked.

"Yeah. I have speed healing, so to speak. Normally a wound such as this would take months to heal, possibly a year to heal if it had happen somewhere else on the body to some other person. If someone else had gotten a wound like this in the exact same spot they'd be dead within the hour." Star could have sworn that the three bots paled at that but she continued anyway. "But for me, my speed healing has already taken care of the most life threatening part of the wound. But it will still be a while before it backs off to a decent pace, even then it'll be fully healed within the next few weeks." she explained.

The bots seemed to sigh in relief.

 **"Well you should rest then."** Bee said as he held out his servo. **"We don't want you expending your energy unnecessarily."**

Star smiled and walked over and into his waiting servo where he lifted her carefully and placed her on his chassis above his spark. Star got comfy and laid down, resting her head between her paws and closed her eyes, but she didn't sleep, keeping her other senses alert.

"Are you sure that's a wise decision Bumblebee?" asked Ratchet with suspicion, narrowing his optics at Star.

 **"Lay off Ratchet. Star just helped save our aft from the Scraplets."** Bee said sounding tired and clearly not in the mood to argue with the medic.

Jack, Miko, and Raff had just finished welding the breach when a group of Scraplets flew by.

"They're getting ready to feed!" Exclaimed Raff.

Star suddenly shot to her feet and started to growl up at the ceiling, catching the attention of the bots. "We've got company." she said just as the Scraplets burst through the air vents. The bots watched the Scraplets with dread as the flew around above them. Star felt Bee shudder under her. She looked him in the optics. "Don't worry Bee," she said reassuringly. "They'll have to get through me first."

"You know the worst part," Arcee spoke up after a while of lying in the snow, their systems slowly shutting down on them. "After battling Cons all these years, getting smacked down, shot at, blown up, this is how our lights go out."

"Arcee, this may not be the finish we that had planed. But if this is indeed the end, if we are to become one with the allspark..."

Arcee placed her servo no top of Optimus', the prime turning his over to hold hers.

"It's been an honour serving with you Optimus Prime."

"Ratchet, all systems go!" Jack exclaimed as he Miko and Raff ran back into the main room.

"Fire it up!" Miko yelled.

Ratchet got up with much effort and took a hold of the lever. "Ground-bridge activated." he said before he fell back down, pulling the lever down to.

A few moment later after the Prime and his SIC had accepted their fate, a ground-bridge opened up a few meters away. Hope shone in Optimus' wide surprised optics.

Bulkhead looked to his two companions before turning his gaze up to the swarm that was circling above them and his optics narrowed in determination. "Bait huh?" he got up and walked over to the entrance of the portal before waving and getting the attention of the Scraplet swarm. "Ready for the main course?" he taunted which got the Scraplets revealing their teeth in response. "Come and get it." he said running into the portal as best he could with the swarm following.

Optimus and Arcee were trying their hardest to get to the ground-bridge but get falling to one knee every few steps. Just then Optimus saw something come out and quickly realised that it was Bulkhead, but something was off.

"Down! Down!" the wrecker called to them and fell face first into the snow.

That's when the other two saw the swarm of Scraplets as the flew over Bulkhead, making the Prime and Arcee their new targets. Optimus quickly placed himself in front of Arcee and braced himself for the pain from them latching onto him and eating away at him. But all they did was bounce off his armour, them freezing before they could even get to them. Optimus and Arcee looked to Bulkhead once the frozen Scraplets stopped raining down upon them.

"I'd invite you in, but the place is a mess." Joked Bulkhead.

Everyone was gathered in the med bay, Bumblebee and Arcee laying on the only two berth while the other three bots leaned against what they could. Jack. Miko and Raff doing what they could to help the wounded medic with healing the others while Star watched from the human area with downcast eyes, paw resting on her neck where a certain treasured item would normally be.

"Report bio-circuitry status." Said Ratchet.

"Levels are rising." Replied Jack with a thumbs up to the medic.

"Excellent. Rafael, Keep a close watch on Bumblebee's electro pulse monitor. Miko check Bulkhead's interface patch."

"It's steady." Replied Raff.

"Looking good." Miko said with a thumbs up as well.

"Perhaps you should get some rest yourself, old friend." Suggested Optimus. "You saved quite a few lives today." he said with a slight smile.

"It wasn't all my doing." Ratch replied looking down to Miko, Raff and Jack, then up to Star as well, the Prime following his gaze from the three human kids to the purple dragoness. "we're just fortunate that this infestation happened on a Saturday."

"Our human, and dragon, friends maybe small but they are strong." Optimus replied.

Just then Miko screamed, catching everyone's attention, Raff and Jack jumping in front of her, trusty weapons at the ready.

"Scraplet?" asked Jack.

"Spider!" Miko corrected. The two boy relaxed. "Is it on me?" Miko asked as she tried to see if that was so and get it off at the same time as she ran out the room.

"Ah, did she just scream like a little girl?" asked Bulkhead.

A soft and somewhat quiet amused chuckle came from above and they all looked to Star. She was smiling but it didn't seem to reach her eyes."In her defence Bulkhead, she is a girl."

" You do have a point there, StarKnight." replied Bulkhead.

It was then that Optimus noticed Star's neck. "StarKnight, you're wounded."

"Don't worry about me, Prime. The more severe part has already healed and the rest should be in the next few weeks." Star reassured the Prime as Miko walked over and stood beside her, having rejoined them after making sure there was no spider on her.

"Hey, why the long face?" asked the Japanese girl. "We just kicked some metal aft. And the bots are well on their way to being back to 100% again."

Star sighed, knowing there was no getting out of the question. "I'm happy that everyone's ok and on the mend. It's just, the Scraplets ate my collar."

"You're upset over a silly band of metal?" asked Jack.

Star shook her head. "I'm not upset over the collar itself, but rather what was on it."

"Ah, yes. The tag." Optimus said causing Star to tense.

"A tag with the Autobot insignia on it nonetheless." Arcee added with suspicion as she sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the berth and facing the dragoness.

"Now how could you have a tag with our insignia on it if we had only me a few days ago?" asked Ratchet as he Arcee, Bulkhead and the teens narrowed their optics/ eyes in suspicion at the purple dragoness.

StarKnight took a few steps back from the intense gaze they were giving her. She glanced to Optimus before looking back to the others but it was long enough for the Prime to see the scared and hurt look on her face, and for some reason it made his spark ache to see such an expression. He sent a stern look to everyone and the backed down but they still looked to StarKnight with suspicion. He turned his attention back to Star.

"We only wish for an explanation, StarKnight." said Optimus.

"One I am all too willing to give." Star replied but the fright, desperation, and pleading in her voice shocked all of them. "But it's an explanation you wont believe, will never believe."

"Dude, you're in an abandoned missile silo with not one, not two, but _five_ extraterrestrial robots!" Miko exclaimed.

"Space travel isn't the same as compared to dimension travel, Miko!" Star nearly shouted, her words stunning them into silence.

"StarKnight." Optimus called, getting said dragoness' attention. "We will listen to what you have to say, believable or not, but you need to calm down."

Star swallowed hard and nodded, taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. "I guess I should start at the beginning." with one final deep breath she looked to everyone before, in a flash of light that took everyone by surprise, she changed back into her human form.


	3. Here we go again

Chapter 3:Here we go again.

Everyone stared stunned, four out of five bots openly showing their surprise, while Optimus did well to hide his.

"I was right?" Miko whispered after a moment. "Haha! I was right!" she exclaimed.

"I hate to burst your bubble, Miko, but technically it's the other way around." Star corrected.

"Awe, seriously?" Miko deflated.

Everyone couldn't but chuckle at her. "Yes, Miko. I was born a human with the ability to change into a dragon." Star replied.

"You mean to say, that all this time we had a human chained up here." Bulkhead said in a shocked and appalled tone.

"Please don't beat yourself up about it. You didn't know. And I hadn't had the guts to show till now." Star said, the last part more in disappointment in herself as she lowered her head in shame and gritted her teeth in slight pain as the movement aggravated her wound.

"And you had no reason to show us StarKnight." Optimus tried.

"But I did!" Star counted. "I had every reason to tell you guys! I knew you were the good guys. I knew I could trust you!" Star grunted in pain as her had flew to her neck wound. She sighed. "Before we go any further," She turned to Jack. "Jack, do you have a first aid kit?"

"Yeah. It's in my bag. But why?" he asked.

Star gave him a dead-panned stare and pointed to her neck. "Scaplet attack."

Jack's eyes widened with worry and he rushed over to the human area then to his bag, grabbing the first aid kit and setting it down on the table to go through it. Star walked over and sat down on the table opposite him, moving her hair out the way, Jack cringing at the sight of the horrible wound the nasty vermin had caused. "Just some disinfectant and some bandages should do it. My speed healing will take care of the rest." Star supplied.

"You sure? It looks like you might need stitches." Asked Jack.

Star sighed. "And what do you propose to explain how I lived through a fatal wound such as this?"

It was Jack's turn to sigh. "I suppose you're right." he said and went about disinfecting and bandaging the wound, Star gritting her teeth at the sting from the disinfectant.

It was then, as Jack worked on the wound, that the others noticed the Star's scars had transferred over too. They were hardly noticeable but they were there if one knew where to look and looked closely enough. Just what had Star been through to gain such horrific scars?

"Thank you Jack." Star thanked once Jack had finished. She got up and leaned on the back of the couch. "And here I thought I wouldn't have to explain this twice." she sighed.

"Twice?" asked Ratchet with a raised optic ridge.

Star nodded. "If you haven't figured it out by what I said a few minuets ago, I'll give it to you plane and simple. I'm from a parallel dimension."

"Dude, seriously?" asked Miko.

"Yes. One in which you guys," she nodded to the bots. "Are nothing but fiction. Just characters from a franchise known as Transformers."

"We don't exist!?" Exclaimed Bulkhead.

"Not in the sense you do here. But you do exist as characters in T.V shows, video games, movies, you even have your own action figures."

"Video games?" asked Raff.

"Movies?" asked Jack.

"T.V. Shows?" asked Miko, all three kids in slight awe of the concepts, the bots seemed just as intrigued

Star nodded. "I'm not 100% sure about the video games seeing how I've never played them despite being a fan of the franchise."

"Hold up. You're a fan of the Autobots?" asked Miko, not believing her ears.

Star simply grinned and cheered, "Autobots for the win!" Causing everyone to chuckle at her child like behaviour.

Now that she was human the bots could see that she was no older than Jack. The way she had behaved before was beyond her years which saddened and made the bots wonder what she had gone through to make her grow up so fast.

"Anyway," Star continued, bringing them out of their thoughts. "Like I was saying I'm not sure about the video games but the different T.V shows are usually cartoon or CGI, the movies on the other hand were live-action. Though you can't get more live-action than this." she said gesturing to her surroundings and making the bots smile. "While the movies are sequels, the T.V shows are all different to one another. But the basic background to all of them is that civil war breaks out on Cybertron which soon consumes the planet, leaving the Autobot, Decpticons and neutrals alike no choice but to flee to the stars where they soon come across Earth. That's where things differ, the events that happen on Earth are always different from one T.V show to another." Star paused, seeing a bit of sadness in the bots eyes even though they were smiling and realised that she had been explaining all this with such awe and excitement that only now did she realise what her words about the past had done. She lowered her head in shame. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." she apologised sadly.

"You have no need to apologise, StarKnight. The events that transpired on Cybertron happened a long time ago." said Optimus.

Star gave a small smile. "Getting back to the reason why I had that tag." she took a deep breath and released in a sigh. "For the past couple of months I have been trapped in another dimension that was based around the movies of my home dimension."

"Wait. So you've met another version of the bots?" asked Raff.

"And the cons." Star confirmed. "Soon after I first arrived there, StarScream attacked me. I managed to fight him off but that was the first time I had really used my dragon form, plus with the damage I had sustained, it didn't take long for me to fall into stasis. Unconscious." she said after seeing the confused looks from the three teens. "I soon woke in the Autobot base and after healing some I was introduced to the bots. Once I was fully healed Optimus and Bumblebee gave me a tour around the base which ended with me being handed over, literally, to Ir- another Autobot for training. And things just went from there." Star's expression then darkened. "It was peaceful at the beginning but then StarScream decided to show his ugly face along with several other Decpticons. The battle was so intense that when it ended I fell into stasis. Unbeknownst to us Megatron wanted me for some reason and Screamer isn't one to let an opportunity to just slip by."

Everyone visibly stiffened. _**"Those scars, they're not battle scars are they?"**_ asked Bumblebee.

Star shook her head, shocking everyone but Bee and Raff when she answered without translation. "No. Megatron and StarScream thought they could get me to join them. Bah! I'd rather offline than join those pieces of junk yard scrap metal!" Star stated rather coldly. "So I waited until I had enough of my strength back before making my escape, earning a broken wing in the process thanks to King Con himself. But I did managed to get back to the bots in the end." A smile now graced her lips. "It was shortly after that event and not long before I ended up here, that they decided to make me one of them by giving me my own Autobot name and that tag." Star looked away, eyes closed in grief. "But now that's gone." she said in almost a whisper.

"Why were the cons after you?" asked Jack, steering the subject away from the tag.

"And how were you able to understand Bumblebee?" asked Ratchet.

"Funnily enough, I believe that the answer to both those questions are the same." Star said sheepishly. "You see, the Allspark from that dimension was once held within an inanimate object call The Cube, yes I know, very original, but shortly before my arrival the Cube was destroyed. And some how the allspark energy was transferred into me. Now because I am the new allspark, I have the cons on my tail and I think it's because of this that I am able to understand Bumblebee." Star concluded.

Stunned silence.

"Don't everyone speak at once." Star dead-panned with a roll of her eyes.

"By the Allspark..." Ratchet whispered in shock.

"Yes?" Star asked jokingly with a grin, causing everyone to snicker at Ratchet except Optimus who merely smiled in amusement.

"While your story may be hard to believe for some, it is not for us." Optimus said as he stood up. "The existence of different dimensions and travel between them were theorised and studied a lot back on Cybertron. Your claims are not that hard to believe, StarKnight."

"Thanks Optimus."

"Is StarKnight the name your Autobots gave you?" asked Miko.

"Yes." Star nodded.

"Then, what's your real name?" Asked Jack.

Star smiled. "It's Zara. Zara Moonday."

"It is nice to officially meet you, Zara." Optimus said before turning his attention to the other tree teens. "But it's now time for you three to return home. And seeing how your guardians are unfit to do so, I'll be the one to take you home." he announced before transforming.

With a groan from Miko and goodbyes to everyone from the three, they gathered their things and hopped into the Prime's cab, Optimus taking them home.

It was late at night when the Prime returned, having gone scouting for any Despticon activity. Driving always seemed to help him think and the views he got with the sunset was just beautiful. When he entered the main room he wasn't to surprised to see that Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Arcee were no longer in the med bay, most likely having gotten permission from Ratchet, persuaded him more like, to leave and have retired for the night. He gave a nod of greeting to Ratchet over at the main controls keeping an eye on everything, who also gave a nod back. What did surprise the Prime though was Star. She was back in dragon form and laying down by the couch staring down the hall, eyes distant and lost in thought. So he walked over to the human area.

"StarKnight." he called, her head rising and turning to him.

"Yes?"she asked.

He paused for a moment before lifting his servo over the railing and holding it out to her, palm up. "I wish to talk to you in private, if you don't mind."

Star smiled as she got up and shook her head. "Not at all Prime." she replied as she trotted over and easily jumped into his hand.

Optimus walked out of the main room and down the halls in silence, nothing being said by the two until they reached the Primes quarters and he sat on the side of his berth. Even then it took a moment before Optimus spoke.

"StarKnight, I fear that during your time here the Decpticons will become aware of your presence, and once they are aware of what you can do, I have no doubt that they will come for you." Optimus said seriously.

Star smiled weakly. "Not the first time I have had cons on my tail. But Prime, do you really believe that the cons have let the incident at the Energon mine go unnoticed? I feel they already know of my presence."

Optimus sighed. "You are right there, StarKnight. They wouldn't have let it go unnoticed so easily. That is why, if you would allow me the honour, I would like to become your guardian while you stay here with us."

"I'd like that." Star said with a huge smile on her face but Optimus could see fear in her eyes. Not fear of him but fear of what is to come.

And it was then that he realised the impact of the previous dimension had left on her. She had witness their war, fought beside their counter-parts and had become a prisoner of the enemy. And unbeknownst to him, saw the future death of her family. Her mental state was not at it's best right now, she was almost at her wits end, almost at breaking point, and all she wanted to do was to return home to her family. Optimus held her to his chest and carefully laid down on his berth, keeping his servo cupped behind Star in comfort while still allowing her to go if she so desired. Star smiled, thankful for the gesture, and quickly got comfortable on the Primes chest.

"Optimus?" Star spoke after a few moments.

"Yes?"

"I thought that you should know that, the Autobots from the previous dimension I was in before, they had done so much for me. They had sheltered me, took me in when I had no where else to go, trained me, helped me get stronger. They became my friends and soon my second pod, my second family. And they never asked for anything in return. I could never betray such kindness or those who I consider family. And here you are doing the same thing. So thank you, you don't know how much this means to me."

"You have no reason to thank me StarKnight. But I am glad I can help you."

Star smiled. "You remember before, Optimus, when you asked for my word and I bowed to you?"

"Of course."

"I wasn't just giving you my word. I was pledging my loyalty to you for however long my stay here may be. For my loyalty shall always remain to you and the Autobot cause no matter the dimension."

Optimus was speechless, shocked and honoured that StarKnight would do such a thing. So he smiled and gave her a pat on the head, to which she leaned into and gave a soft purr. "I am deeply honoured StarKnight. But for now let us rest. I shall see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Optimus Prime." Star replied.

And the two easily fell asleep after a long eventful day.


End file.
